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Think
you know the best meds for common health woes? Think again—and consult our
cheat sheet.

Chances
are, you have no shortage of OTC helpers on your medicine-cabinet shelves. But
chances are also good that you’re clueless about how they work and which one is
right for what ails you.

Per
a study, only 41 percent of people read the ingredients labels on
nonprescription meds before buying them, and nearly 70 percent have no idea what’s
in some of their drugs.

Here
to help: a guide to the fastest-acting fixes.

Healthy Dose YOUR AILMENT:

Allergies

YOUR
OPTIONS: diphenhydramine, fexofenadine, cetirizine, loratadine

YOUR
BEST BET: cetirizine

This
group of (barely pronounceable!) meds is often referred to as antihistamines,
which are your
go-to for relief from seasonal sneezing and dripping. Research shows cetirizine
is the most all-around effective at relieving symptoms caused by your body’s
overactive immune response to allergens, though it does make a small percentage
of users drowsy, says JamesSublett,
M.D., managing partner of Family Allergy & Asthma in Louisville, Kentucky.
For a nonsedating option, take a med with loratadine. Or try something more
natural. “Research shows
that using a bottle of saline nasal spray with a few drops of peppermint oil
added

can
ease nasal congestion,” says Sakina Bajowala, M.D., an allergist and
immunologist in North Aurora, Illinois.

YOUR AILMENT:

Headache

YOUR
OPTIONS: ibuprofen, acetaminophen, aspirin, naproxen

YOUR
BEST BET: ibuprofen

While
all of the above can ease head pounders, antiinflammatories like ibuprofen work
the fastest, says Andrew Blumenfeld, M.D., director of the Headache Center of
Southern California. It puts the kibosh on production of natural chemicals
called prostaglandins that play a major role in noggin pain.

A
review in Drug and Therapeutics Bulletin foundthat OTC remedies
likeantihistamines and topicalhydrocortisones generallyaren’t
too effective in quellingthe
itching that springs from

skin
irritants such as bug bites.

What
does work, says Khare, is icing the itchy area, then slathering on calamine
lotion. “It includes natural plant-derived chemicals that have a cooling effect
on the skin,” he says.

(For
recurrent itching or hives, see an M.D. stat.)

Your ailment:

Congestion/coughing

Your
options: guaifenesin, dextromethorphan, pseudoephedrine

Your
best bet: guaifenesin Popping
a decongestant likepseudoephedrine at the firstsign of sniffles
shrinks bloodvessels in the nasal passagesand promotes nose andsinus draining. But if you’realready congested, opt forguaifenesin,
which thins themucus that’s lodged in yourlungs, making it
easierfor you to cough it out, saysRoberta Lee, M.D., vicechair
of the departmentof integrative medicine atBeth Israel Medical
Center inNew York City. Gulp down abig glass of water as you
takeyour dose; extra fluids willfurther break up phlegm and

lubricate
your throat.

Take
a cough suppressant like dextromethorphan only when you’re desperate to quiet a
dry cough. It works in the brain to decrease your cough reflex, but it can make
expelling anything harder (hence, prolonged hacking).

that
can’t be cured. It can, however, be controlled. Docosanol helps cut down on the
duration of outbreaks and reduces symptoms like pain and itching, according to a
study from the Journal ofthe American Academy ofDermatology.
Just be sure to act quickly: The second you feel a cold sore coming on (early
symptoms include tingling, itching, and redness),

smear
on some docosanol, then repeat up to five times a day for 10 days. And stock up
on another musthave medicine-cabinet item: SPF 30. “Sun exposure can trigger
cold-sore outbreaks, so also be sure to always coat your lips with an SPF lip balm,”
advises Lee.

Your ailment:

Sore throat

Your
options: benzocaine, menthol, ibuprofen

Your
best bet: benzocaine and ibuprofen

First,
toss any sugary-sweet lozenges you may have lying around; they taste good but
offer scant relief. Stronger than menthol, benzocaine is a local anesthetic, or
numbing agent, that relieves discomfort by blocking nerve pain signals.
Benzocaine throat sprays often deliver

You
can also stir a little honey into a cup of tea. Honey’s natural
anti-inflammatory and antibacterial properties (manuka honey, available at
health food stores, works best) may soothe a sore throat and jump-start
healing.